What if the full sense of our aliveness were only to be found amidst our most challenging times and difficult experiences? In pain and crisis, teaches Pema Chödrön, there lies a hidden doorway to freedom that appears to us only when we're sure that there is no way out.

In these intimate audio learning sessions, Pema Chödrön helps us distinguish the triggers or external events that we blame for our suffering from the deeper habitual patterns that feed our anger, fear, or sadness. From this understanding, we learn how to free ourselves from our propensity to suffer through the transformative awareness of impermanence—the dynamic and ever-shifting nature of both joy and suffering, self and selflessness—and the absolute and eternal flow from which all of it arises.

What is causing my pain? What will happen if I simply lean in, keep company with it, hold it with tenderness? Moment by moment, Pema supports and encourages listeners to bring an openhearted sense of curiosity and welcoming to our apparently impossible situations or unbearable relationships—to discover the deeper freedom available just beneath the surface.

For those experiencing emotional crisis, When Pain Is the Doorway provides expert guidance to help us stop, stay present, and enter into a more welcoming, spacious place of being that is our true home.

This was a great session although the second disc, the recording wasn't so great in parts. I listened to the whole thing several times so Pema's words could sink in. Pema really made me aware of my triggers:-)

I love Pema Chodrin. Every sentence she speaks is a jewel. This CD was recommended to me by a very good friend and in addition the title was brilliant and spoke to me. I was pleased that it included two CDs too. Though have not listened to all the tracks, I felt disappointed that the first disc seems to me to be segments of other talks she has made before, kind of spliced together. Perhaps I'm wrong? There is no explanation describing where these talks were given so I am not sure.

This is a truly interesting program of study, perfectly attuned to the person who is experiencing a specific, painful difficulty. Transforming pain into something productive and nourishing to the spirit - how amazing is that?

I just listened to the first CD. It was excellent, so helpful and inspiring. I already started the practice when so old negative thinking came up last night. Thank you Pema, thank you Sounds True! Namaste.

I love Pema Chodron and consider her my main "teacher" although I have never met her nor been able to attend a session in person. Nevertheless, she and her recordings through Sounds True have had a profound and wonderfully positive effect on my life these past years. This particular program really addressed some very important issues.

Pema Chodron's teaching is inspiring as always, however there is a technical problem with sound recording quality on the 2nd DVD. You need to persevere for a few minutes at the start till it settles down a bit.

I love Ana Pema's talks and meditations, but somehow the titles always seem to be misleading. Not that it would be easy to title the good life advice that she gives. I was expecting help with the physical pain I was experiencing from a work accident. What I heard was great, but did not specifically address my type of "pain".

Also, for some reason, the start of the second "disk" of this program had some distorted audio. It was perfectly understandable, but below the fine quality I expect from Sounds True.

Great teachings, as usual with Pema Chodron. However it appears that this recording is only an extract of a much longer workshop, which I didn't realize when I started listening to it. Several questioners on the CDs refer to some topic previously covered, which however does not appear on these CDs. That was disappointing. Also, the sound-recording quality is very poor in some sections.